August 3rd

August 3, 2012

This weekendâs Bluesapalooza is so full of top-drawer talent that it is hard to just pull a single thing out of the hat and call it THE highlight.

But concertgoers at Samâs Woodsite on Sunday would not be far off if they gave the nod to Joe Louis Walker.

Walker, now 62, is a journeymanâs journeyman in the blues world, but he shows no sign of slowing down.

Touring in support of his new record, âHellfire,â Walker brings an eclectic mix of musical influences to the stage, from Jimi Hendrix and the Rolling Stones on the rock ânâ roll end of the spectrum to hard-core blues on the other.

August 3, 2012

A 129-pound, second-year bear, rummaging around in a trash bin at behind A-Frame Liquor in the Shady Rest parcel near Main Street, got its head stuck inside the bin, pulled the lid loose with its head, and then went for a walkâwearing the trash bin lid as a collar.

Video of the spectacle immediately went viral on the Internet, and still photographs, taken from the movie, also went viral.

Wildlife Specialist Steve Searles came to the rescue, according to the Mammoth Lakes Police Department.

August 3, 2012

The Mammoth High School football team opens two-a-day practices Monday, and even casual observers will notice a big change from last year.

Two-year veteran quarterback Tyler Wormhoudt will move from quarterback to tailback for his senior year, leading an offense that is solidly committed to the ground game, said assistant coach and defensive coordinator Jason Patterson.

âWeâre just going to run people over,â Patterson said.

To do it, the Huskies this year plan to run from behind a staggered lineâanother wrinkle that football fans around here havenât seen.

August 3, 2012

Local writer and former Mono Lake ranger David Carleâs new book is out on local shelves.

âThe Spotting Scope,â a murder mystery based loosely in the Mono Lake area, is the prolific authorâs second book of fiction after publishing 12 successful nonfiction books.

âI read mysteries for relaxation, and I wanted to try my hand at one,â Carle, 61, said. âI especially wanted to portray a protagonist that enjoys life. Itâs not a humorous or light book, necessarily, but itâs not as dark as some mysteries, either.â

August 3, 2012

A scandal that broke after a California paper discovered the State Park system has been sitting on $53 million while pleading a budget crisis and closing parks will likely have little effect on the Mono Lake and Bodie state parks, according to local officials.

âWe donât see any effects at this time,â said Mono Lake State Tufa Reserve ranger Dave Marquart. âThat said, itâs still too soon to tell what the final effects will be. We donât know enough yet about this to determine what will happen in the long run.â

August 3, 2012

The annual Barcroft Research Station Open House held at 12,500 feet high in the White Mountains has been cancelled this summer due to a funding shortage.

The once-a-year open gate that allows easier access to the third highest peak in the state, White Mountain, will still be open to those interested in hiking.

In past years, the high altitude research center opened its doors every August and allowed citizens a glimpse into the lives and work of scientists who study and live in the strange, windswept, wild world more than two miles above sea level.

August 3, 2012

August 3, 2012

My next-door neighbor, Steve recently gave me a wonderful present: a hand full of aluminum and a little bit of glass. I am now the second-time owner of a 1945 Bell and Howell 8mm, hand-wind movie camera.